Camouflage Techniques

Toupees And Hairpieces

Toupees and hairpieces may be complete or partial, and they may be made of artificial fiber or natural hair. The overall cosmetic effect is dependent on the skill with which the color, thickness, and hair length are matched.

The goal is for the added hair to look natural, and this is difficult if the transformation is made all at once. A useful strategy it is use two or three hairpieces over the course of a few months, each slightly thicker than the previous one.

Hairpieces frequently look unnatural because they contain too much hair. A good hairdresser may be very helpful with careful positioning, trimming, and securely fixing of the hairpiece.

Hair Weaving

This technique allows artificial or natural hair to be anchored onto, or braided into, the remaining natural hair. Some of the natural hair is woven or braided together to act as an anchor onto which either artificial or natural hair tufts are sewn, woven, knitted, or glued.

The effect is semi-permanent, and the hair can be trimmed and styled to blend in with the natural hair. However, as the natural hair grows, the anchoring needs to be tightened every six to eight weeks, which can be expensive. Also, vigorous washing may loosen the new hair.

Need To Know:

A camouflage technique used in the past was the implantation of synthetic hair directly into the scalp. This technique is not recommended because it can result in scars, infection, and abscesses of the scalp and brain. Abscesses are pus-filled cavities surrounded by inflamed tissue. Because of the high rate of infection, the use of hair implants made of artificial fibers has been banned by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.